Page 36 of Fated to the Dragon Warlord

“I cannot allow you to leave theSilver Star. Not until we know why you are here and what that means for the Sarkarnii,” Darax says. “But you have my full protection on this ship, and you may go where you wish.” He gives us all a short bow.

I am confusion itself. After all the show with the cuff and chain, now we get allowed to go where we like? I furrow my brow at him, but he remains impassive. I still haven’t had my revenge. Which means it’s time to change the balance of power here. It’stime Darax of the High Bask finds out exactly what he’s dealing with.

“How about a bath, ladies?” I announce. “The Sarkarnii like bathing, and from what I’ve heard, they have baths like swimming pools.”

“Oh yes!” Scarlett claps her hands with glee. “I’ll go make some swimming costumes!” She darts back into our quarters.

Darax glowers at me. I know it’s because he’ll need to clear out one of hisaquiums.But then, he’s clearly not telling me everything, and it’s starting to make me mad.

Because even looking at Darax makes my body sing in ways I don’t think I ever imagined. And yet he is absolutely infuriating. So, it’s about time he learnt a lesson in dealing with humans.

If he wants any more from me, he’s going to have to work for it. And until he starts to tell me the truth, he’s going to have to work very hard.

In no time at all, Scarlett comes back waving the costumes and throws one to me. I stare at Darax. He releases a great cloud of smoke.

“Come with me,” he intones finally.

Rosalie tucks her arm in mine. “Thank you,” she says quietly.

“Don’t thank me. He’s being a dick, and I need him to have to do some work for a change,” I grumble.

“So…the way you’re talking, it sounds like you and this…dragon man...have got something going on.”

“It’s nothing,” I say, my heart spinning in my chest and slamming hard against it.

“Look, Kerra.” Rosalie squeezes my arm. “I spent the last I don’t know how many weeks on the space shipStinky McStinkyfacewith you. I can tell when you’re lying.”

“Fuck you.”

“Oh, such a way to treat your best friend in all the universe,” Rosalie says, dramatically clutching at her chest and then flailingher arm so that Darax turns around and gives her a long, hard look.

“Stop it,” I hiss, “and I’ll tell you when we get to the pools.”

Behind us, there are sounds of approval as the ladies inspect the parts of the ship we’re walking through. Here and there, I spot the occasional Sarkarnii walking towards us, but he instantly does an about turn once he sees us and Darax at the rear.

It would seem my big bad Sarkarnii’s ire travels fast in these parts.

The air fills with the scent of warm water as we reach the entrance to the aquiums. A couple of naked Sarkarnii make a break for it, much to the delight of Maggie and Scarlett. Rosalie gives me a long, knowing look.

“You are going to tell meeverything,” she hisses.

“Wait here,” Darax rumbles and strides down the passage leading to the pools.

“He’s rather commanding, isn’t he?” Scarlett says confidently.

I bristle at the way she’s staring after him, ogling his butt.

“That one is taken, Scarlett,” Maggie says with a glance over at me. “You’ll have to pick another.”

“Can’t think of anything worse,” Lydia mutters.

“Dragon men, or men in general?” Rosalie asks.

“Men in general.” Lydia looks away from us as if she’s found something very interesting elsewhere.

Maggie takes this as a cue to shut the fuck up, fortunately. Darax returns, hips swinging and his tail whipping behind him.

“This way,” he growls, and my new friends troop ahead. “Two doors down. That is your aquium,” he says.

---